Coming of Age : 1976 and the Road to Anti-Racism

Kingdom together as never before, determined that such happenings should not recur.
If then, our Caribbean Carnival has evoked the wholehearted response from the peoples from
all the Islands of the Caribbean in the new West Indies Federation, this is itself testament
to the role of the arts in bringing people together for common aims and to its rising of the
cultural, spiritual, as well as political and economic interests of West Indians in the UK and at home.
A pride in being West Indian is undoubtedly at the root of this unity; a pride that has its origin
in the drama of nascent nationhood and that pride encompasses not only the creativeness,
uniqueness and originality of West Indian mime song and dance - but is the genesis of the nation itself.
It is true to say that pride extends not only to what the West Indians have
proudly established in the culture of the Caribbean but to the treasury or world culture.
In the midst of our revelry let us remember that it is a world on eve of conquest of Space - tribute to
man’s unconquerable quest for adventure, achievement and mastery over Nature and himself.
Our multi-racial culture should be the front, helping the universal quest to turn the instruments
of science everywhere for the good of all mankind, for the freedom of all the world’s peoples,
no matter what the pigment of their skin, for human dignity and friendship of all people here.
If our Carnival is a triumphal success, it is not only as a result of the inspired spirit that has permeated its
preliminary activities from its inception, but also the moral and material support given generously
by our friends and neighbours in the British Isles representing tangible evidence of their goodwill.
For me and the management of the West Indian Gazette and to all of the Carnival Committee
I say a deep thank you. It would be unfair for me not to tell you that we have still
another determination, that is, to make the WIG Caribbean Carnival an annual event.
In that endeavour, we know we can count not only on - the artists, the decor, the
committee heads, our friends and neighbours but many who we have not yet reached.
May the aim of our mutual efforts to help build the West Indian Gazette and above all
in that endeavour help to extend the already acknowledged cultural influence of the
Caribbean throughout the Commonwealth. And may that be the leaven to weld still
more firmly the brotherhood and unity of West Indians and other peoples of colour
as well as the friendship for all peoples that will be the fruit of this cultural exchange.
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